


A Mouse Trapped In A Maze

by ShadowEmperorVergil



Category: Dementium II
Genre: A bit of Psychological Horror, Action, Anxiety Attacks, But tagging it just to be sure, Deception, Demons, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Graphic Imagery, Horror, Hurt and comfort, Psychological Torture, Severe Distrust, Suicidal Thoughts, The 'pairing' is only for a chapter and it isn't even a pairing really, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:53:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28938816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowEmperorVergil/pseuds/ShadowEmperorVergil
Summary: This is a port of my Quotev fanfiction, but with edits and some extensions. This fanfiction is really just a retelling of Dementium II.A patient wakes up in Bright Dawn Treatment Center and is told his name is William Redmoor. Upon awakening, he is told he was out for nearly five weeks and he had brain surgery. However, he doesn't know who he is, and the doctors around him don't seem to know much about him or his conditions, either. He finds himself constantly going into a strange realm called The Plane of Anguish. In there, he sees a doctor in black, who loves using William as a puppet. However, William feels he needs to cut the strings and find answers to all of his questions, even if he tied the strings to himself. But, are all of the visions real, or fake...?
Relationships: False!Elizabeth/William





	1. Welcome Back

**Author's Note:**

> The fact there is absolutely NO Dementium fanfictions here is appalling. I will be the first to change that.

Darkness is seeming to fade, but it still is rather dim as one of the patient's open their eyes. The room is rather dim and seems to be spinning. Looking around, and in another bed is another patient, seeming to struggle against the bed bonds holding him down, and turning to the left seeming to be a nurse holding a clip board and stared at the awakening patient. She gave a once over on the clip board, nodding and saying 'looks good'. Finally she held up a flash light to the patient and turned it on, the light beaming into the patient's eyes directly.

The patient squinted slightly, trying to look away from the light. 

"Do you know your name?" She finally asked. After a while of silence, she continued, "It's William. William Redmoor? You've had brain surgery, you've been out for almost five weeks. You're better now, everything is going to be okay." She spoke, turning the flashlight off and watched as William raised his hand and looked at it with a blurred vision. "Now I hate to push you out of the door if you're still a bit groggy," she continued. "but we really need this space here. The guards will help you back to your cell." She spoke, as full armored guards entered and approached William. 

A mere blink of an eye, and William found himself dragged out of the room by the two guards. His vision was still blurred and spinning, but he tried not to strain himself as he looked around. _'_

 _More like drag me back to my cell...'_ he thought exhaustively.

He heard the elevator door open, as the doors fully opened, he saw what seemed to be, though he couldn't believe it... His wife, Elizabeth. The interior of the elevator was splattered with blood. His eyes widened slightly, not believing what he was seeing. After a few minutes, Elizabeth's image was fading, and finally a nurse was in her place. _'It's just my imagination...'_ he thought, blinking away the horrible past sins that was coming to him.  
Before William knew it, he was thrown into his cell. He landed on his knees and slowly got up. He heard his cell gate shutting and the guards walking away. He finally stood completely, and put a hand to his head. His thoughts were silenced and stopped when he heard a deep male voice speaking to him.

"Hey, Silly Willy! It's been nearly five weeks since I last saw ya. How'd the treatment go?"

Silly Willy. That's right. Every patient had a 'code name' to each other. William's was Silly Willy, because many of the patients thought William's stories or what he told were absolutely foolish, unbelievable, even for a mental patient. Him talking about how demons would constantly attack him and he kept seeing images of dead people he once knew instead of doctors... All the patients laughed it off, thinking William was just half-asleep. As, of course, William always looked like he never slept in about a week. William was called that nickname so many times, he no longer cared. He didn't pay much to nicknames, let alone those around him. Every time he heard it being called out, he'd merely sigh out. But, it was something he responded to all the same. 

William only sighed. "I'm not sure it's treatment. It was brain surgery."

"Ah, the usual. 'Least it wasn't lobotomy, or electroshock therapy. Those are the worst." the patient offered William a cigarette, in which William took (he briefly wondered how the patient got a hold of them, but shook it off). 

"Hydro therapy isn't?" William pointed out, taking the lighter he was handed and lit the cigar, and passed the lighter back. "Besides, electroshock and lobotomies are tied together. They do electroshock, or at least a short span of it, then they drive a metal pick through your eye sockets and into the brain."

"I thought they cracked the skull to do the therapy?"

"Doing that would just kill patients. Sure, some to most patients die afterwards, or are dead completely, mentally. But, I believe they die immediately by just driving it through the skull. From what I overheard, driving the picks through the eyes is quicker and easier."

"How the hell do you know all of this?" William's cellmate stared down at him.

"Because I am well aware what they are doing to me. You think I'm out like a light during therapy?" he snapped, breathing out the smoke as he sighed.

"Everyone usually is, due to the short shock therapy. Maybe not out like asleep, but no one usually acknowledges what occurs to them, let alone feel it!"

"Well, I guess I am a special butterfly. I had it happen a couple times, plus them giving me pills that have the very same effect, and the recent brain surgery. Now me not being mentally dead after all that? Don't know. To a degree, I rather am. Effects are different on everyone."

"Maybe you are. Maybe you're just bein' silly again, Willy." his cellmate sighed. "Oh, did you see the new thing I put on the wall, beside the toilet?"

"Lovely way to change the subject." William muttered. "Yes... I did. A news article of Princess Di in a bikini? Of all places, why in my space near the toilet...?" he sighed with disgust. "Why do you even have all that, anyways?"

"She's got a hell'a good body. She's hot, yanno... Like, really. It's better near there, didn't want to do anything on my mattress..." he faintly chuckled. "Besides, you don't use your space. I mean, do you have pictures of your family?"

"... Family...?" William asked out, slowly.

"Then that settles that! Just don't get angry at me 'cuz I got stuff near your bed, yeah?"

William tilted his head slightly. He wasn't sure what his cellmate was getting at. But, he decided to drop it. It wasn't William's matter, anyways. But, sometimes, he really wished he was in the lower levels of the asylum. There, they have single person cells. Although they were tiny, William would have been more content in there. Because at least in there, he would be left alone and there wouldn't be much human contact. It was solitary. But, many patients say that area of the asylum is cursed, haunted. But, he didn't believe any of the talk.

"Who gave you brain surgery? I mean, I know it was a doctor, but what one?" William's cellmate asked out, abruptly.

".... Hmmm?" William spaced off a bit. "Mmm, it was the doctor in white, from what I overheard."

"Really? You had a big gun?"

"I'm not sure why, I'm in the same boat as everyone else here. But, I suppose same boat but different river."

"Lots of us are Russian inmates. You don't seem like one. You seem to have an English accent. You British or Australian, or somethin'? Or just a special butterfly, like you said?"

"I don't think these doctors pick people by race. Something really must be wrong with me..." William spoke, not answering the last part of the question.

"Maybe. What's your story?"

"... I don't know. That could be one, me not knowing anything. But, I really don't know."

"Maybe one day, you'll find out, Silly Willy." the cellmate waved his arm, as a sign of careless approval. 

William glanced up for a quick second and sighed. One day, that nickname will make his brain snap. But, as for the time being, he was far too careless than insane. Maybe that was a sign that he was 'mentally dead' from all the same occurring treatments. He took the cigarette out of his mouth, exhaling smoke, then placed it back into his mouth. Finally, he looked next to him, now noticing a post card next to him. He stared at it then picked it up. It read:

_"For God's sake, get out before it's too late._

_\- William."_

He slipped it into his pocket, and when he looked up, there was a brief flash, and during it's briefness, he saw the room had become a hellish prison cell. William shook his head. He finally stood, then heard the intercom:

"All security and medical personnel, report to infirmary C, STAT."

Finally everything went black, and William put his hand on his head, closing his eyes, and sighing. Nothing could be heard but a loud blaring, then finally when he opened his eyes, everything had changed, changed to the hellish prison he briefly saw.

But now, this was permanent, and it didn't feel like a dream.


	2. Prison Hell

William looked around, not sure what to do. He looked at where his cell door was, but it was replaced with a guillotine with spikes. His eyes widened a bit, and he looked to the side, the left wall. He saw a decomposing person stuck to the wall, chains moving out of him, and going on infinitely. William only shook his head and he finally got on his knees and crawled out and passed the hellish guillotine, to the outside, which was dark and even more hellish. The skies were a dark green, covered with dark green clouds. He looked around and began rushing, wondering how to escape this nightmare. He jumped over a metal block, and when he looked down, some kind of knife was at his feet. He looked around and sighed with relief.

"Thank god, a weapon...!" he picked up the knife and held it in his right hand. "It's a shank, but it'll do." he examined the blade, then his hand.

He had a large scar across the upper part of his thumb to nearly his wrist. He stared into the blade, seeing his reflection. He stared into his tired, heavy eyes, which had dark circles all around, seeming like he hasn't slept in years. His eyes were a dull blue-grey, and his hair was rather messy, but still kept and slicked back. However, the color was a dull grey-brown, as if he aged terribly so. But, he knew he was around 30, so how could he possibly have developing grey hair at such a young age...? Although he always knew he didn't look the best, he saw his pupils and irises were rather small, smaller than they should be. 

"... Am I really this crazy....?" he shook his head and then looked down at himself.

Unlike all the patients, he had a special outfit. Not the same orange pants and white shirt. No, he was wearing white pants, or dirty white pants, black boots that were hidden under the pants and a white-light grey under-armor shirt that was like a turtle neck. He also was wearing a dirty white light jacket, the collar torn and standing out, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He also wore a dirty white-light grey apron that was completely torn at the end. The doctors tried suiting him in the casual patient wear, but William always fought back, never allowing them to touch him. Every time they handed him the uniform, he turned it away or slapped it out of their hands, so they had given up on trying to make William wear something different. So now, William was the only patient wearing a unique outfit, he certainly stood out from the rest. But, like all the patients, he endured brutal treatment day by day. At least, before he had brain surgery. Now that he escaped his cell, he wasn't sure what they had in mind for him now.

Slight sadness showed in his expression as he looked back at his cell he escaped from.

"Family... If only I understood that word like everyone else did..." he continued until a vulgar monster-demon appeared in front of him. William back up and glared. "Not these things again.... They really need to move...!" he gripped the dagger and went at the monster, slashing at it and dodging its attacks.

The thing came at him, biting at the patient with the mouth upon its. Something he remembers seeing. After dodging, attacking, and dodging again, he finally killed it. However, it was a rather messy battle, as demon blood and his own were on him. He looked at his wrist. He saw there were fatal bite marks upon it, blood streaking down his hand and in-between his fingers. He huffed out lowly and finally continued. However, another one stood in his way, coming at him with the same staggering walk he also knew too well. Readying himself, he went at the monster. Learning not to get too close, he slashed out at the monster and killed it with ease, as if he was already attuned to killing monsters. But then again, he felt he was, and should be. He finally stumbled upon health pills and he bent down to take them. He sighed and opened a bottle up.

"If this continues to happen, I may resort to taking ten bottles of painkillers with me." William shook out some pills and five entered his hand, and he finally took them, easing and ridding the pain he was feeling. He closed the bottle and put it away, along with the others and continued. However, he looked at his bleeding wrist. "... I should find some bandages, however..." he murmured lowly.

He finally stopped again, seeing a person, or what seemed to be one hanging from the ceiling. A disturbing sight, he noted mentally. He observed it, slowly getting closer to get a better view, then he heard noises. As if some kind of gates open. To the right, indeed gates opened and a giant hooked monster ran past, devouring the entire person, leaving only a arm hanging and spilling blood everywhere, then exited through the gates on the left. William's only response was a slight back-up. After the gates closed, he looked around to see if any other monster would jump out of the blue. After a while of silence, he saw it was safe to go forward. Nodding, he proceeded ahead, but as he was nearing the door ahead of him, he stopped. Everything went black again, and he heard the blaring noise again. He closed his eyes and placed his left hand to his head. When the noise stopped, he opened his eyes, only to find he was back in reality, but pass the gate which led to the patient cells. He looked back, then ahead, and finally at his right hand, seeing he was still holding the shank. 

"So that wasn't a dream... What's happening...? ... Well, as the card said, have to get out before it's too late." William proceeded ahead to the door and opened it.

As he entered, closing the door behind him, he was greeted by a guard charging at him, yelling at him to stand down. The patient flinched slightly, as it surprised William to a degree. He saw the guard coming closer, and he knew he had no choice but to fight. Readying himself, he went at the guard and began fighting back, slashing out at the guard. Unfortunately, it didn't prove as effective as it did to the monsters, so he began relaying upon hand to hand combat. Tripping the guard, he finally went over to the downed guard and cracked the other's neck swiftly and roughly. As the loud crack ensued, the guard fell limp and dead upon the ground, blood pooling out. The patient then looked at himself, then at the dead officer, regretting he killed him. Perhaps diplomacy could have been an option instead of going to straight on killing...? 

"I... I didn't mean to... I don't even know what's happening...! One minute I picked up a postcard, then the next, this place turned into a hellish prison for a while!" he explained to the guard's dead body. He knew he wasn't going to get an answer, so he sighed.

He continued forward, then saw some kind of brochure next to him. He picked it up and looked at it. He quickly skimmed through it, and shook his head, dropping it. It advertised the place to be lovely and nice, but the elevator wasn't working when William tried it, he saw cigarette butts scattered about the floor, and the lighting was going bad, the place was dimly lit. Perhaps it was lovely at one point, but now, it was slowly falling apart. But the fact that a nurse said everything was going to be okay to William, when he's seeing a strange hellish world meant he's going to be in another 'adventure', like the Redmoor Hospital he remembers and rather clearly. But, what stumped him was; did it really happen? One minute he defeated the Black Doctor, another he wakes up in a hospital bed here.

Continuing to think about it made him develop more questions, making him more confused about what was going on. He sighed and shook his head.

"I can never have a break. Well, at least this is better than the trip through Redmoor Hospital. But, if my name is William Redmoor, how does a Redmoor Hospital exist? I don't recall my family owning a hospital, or a news channel named after my last name... It had to be a dream. Though, it felt so real, and I remember it so clearly..." William sighed. He looked around at the walls. They were stained, and this room was rather eerie, especially when it was dead quiet.   
"Though this place is a nightmare, too. Though it doesn't share the same elements as Redmoor Hospital, this place isn't exactly welcoming. Especially when nothing around here is working. But, I have to get out of here. So, onward to another nightmarish trek through an asylum." he sighed. "Though this shouldn't be too hard, I've been through all of this before. Nothing I can't handle."

As William finally passed through the door, going down the stairs and proceeded the door, he heard faint yelling. He took a step forward, and he could faintly see two guards running towards him. Finally he turned to them and stared, his hands at his sides, but one of them still holding a blood-drenched shank. As they were coming closer, holding their sparking tasers up, William began preparing himself for battle. He strangely began feeling a rush of heat coursing through him. The heat, and urge to murder. His eyes dilated slightly smaller and he held up the bloody shank, staring at the full armored guards with murder in his eyes. Finally, the guards began attacking, but William dodged their attacks, even if he considered himself a little slow. Finally, it was chance to strike and he came at one of the guards, tilted the guard's head up with his free hand, and plunged the shank through his throat and slid it all the way across, making a large hole and slash in it, blood pouring from the massive wound. He let go of the guard and stepped back, seeing the blood of the guard stained his clothes, nearly completely. He turned his head to the other guard.

The security guard had saw that William's white apron was nearly completely stained with mixed blood, and so were his pants. Blood was even on the side of William's face, which made him more menacing. The guard backed up slightly and held his taser up, pointing it at William. 

"You are in an unauthorized area, disarm yourself and put your hands behind your head!"

William stood in silence, then held his shank up, glaring at the guard. He slowly approached the guard, which began to rile the latter. With a swift and violent strike, going for the throat once again, he killed the second guard and left him to bleed all over the floor. He walked over him and proceeded ahead, tracking blood all over the floors. Even this area was eerily quiet. Although the place was lit by the lights hanging from the ceiling, it was still dark. He looked around. There were several places to go. There was a door to his left, a door ahead of him, and a gate down the hall to the right. The gate looked like it needed something, like a key card. Something he already knew by now. So going that way was out of the question. He decided to go to the door on the left of him. and he decided to proceed through it. As he entered the room, and shut the door, he looked around. It seemed to be some kind of office. He looked at the desk ahead of him and saw a paper that caught his eye. He went over and picked it up. He saw it was a report of him. His eyes widened a bit. The paper read:

_PATIENT #: 47329 [REDMOOR, WILLIAM]_

_Patient Intake: 10-31-07_

_Transferred from: Cowling State Hospital for the Criminally Insane._

_Background: Allegedly murdered wife and suffered psychotic break. Presented with low level of function/high suicide risk (GAF 13), possible Schizotypal Disorder, but officially diagnosed as Unclassified Mental Illness (F99)_

_Treatment: Phase One._

He shook his head, folded up the paper and placed it in his pocket. Something for him to keep and let no one have...

"... Psychotic break...? I overheard, also read, that psychotic breaks can range from harmless to violent. Harmless being unnoticed-... Sufferer can't distinguish reality from-... Is... Is all of what's happening just me... Suffering a psychotic break...? Presented low level of function, usually that's severe depression, from what I read a long while back... I did a lot of research about mental disorders, what symptoms I suffered from anyways, since doctors can't seem to do their jobs." William noted out.  
"But if these doctors and staff don't know what I have, then things could get really bad. No, as I said, doctors can never seem to do their jobs... But, maybe that's why I had the head doctor tend to me, was because my condition is serious, yet unknown... But, how can all of what's happening be part of my psychotic break or delusions? The shank's still in my hand, and I found it in that hellish world! ... I don't know what to think anymore... Maybe I am crazy... Maybe I am..."

He turned and saw another opening was sealed off by wooden planks. He knew he couldn't proceed that way unless he had some kind of hammer, but not a tiny construction hammer, a sledge hammer, which would make a perfect weapon for him, should he ever find one. He decided to leave the room, since there was nothing more for him. He sighed heavily and turned away.

\- - - - -

But, even the circumstances, he no longer wanted to ask anyone. Seeking doctors and answers were becoming less of a solution. He now wanted nothing more but to escape, to be alone. All alone. He destested this place immensely and everyone within. He knew no one could be trusted.

A life of solitude was something he was yearning for deeply.

...

_Don't ever count on anybody else, in this or any other land..._

_Give up the 'sweet fantasy land'..._ _It's time to grow up and get wise..._

_Open up your eyes..._

_Everyone starts out the same; a simple naïve trust... Shielded from the many things, like life's not fair or just..._

_..._

**_You see it all so clearly..._ **

**_The best way to survive is all alone..._ **


	3. The Blood-Stained Doctor

As he left the door, he turned to his left again and faced ahead, where he believed that was the only way to go, currently. As he passed through the door, he saw he was in the room he had awakened in earlier. He looked around and saw a mirror on the wall blaring red. As he approached it and looked into it, he felt a pleasant sensation, and felt much calmer. All pain he was feeling had suddenly vanished. His eyes dilated a little bigger as he felt much more sane. He sighed lightly and decided to look around. When he finished, all he gathered was some kind of syringe and some health pills, both would prove useful, he was sure. He went back to the door he had saw and looked at it. It seemed to have a strange lock. William examined it, then began trying to unlock the door. He knew that it was easy, so he solved it with no problem. He entered to see that brain surgery on some patient was taking place. There were doctors everywhere, and somehow, it made William feel uneasy.

Finally, to the right of him he heard someone speaking, to him more specifically.

"These things... They all started happening after your surgery," the full-suited white doctor spoke, as William turned to face him. "whatever was wrong inside your head, we... We let it out...! God help us all...!" the doctor had dread in his tone as he looked down and shook his head.

"He must be the head doctor that gave me brain surgery. He didn't seem to do a good job, far from it, if I'm seeing a hellish, alternate prison from this one... I suppose he's the reason why I'm still suffering from psychotic breaks and violent delusions..." William muttered, nearly hissing out his words.

Finally, everything was going white, and before everything was, he saw the doctor grimace in pain. As the blaring and whiteness went away, William shook his head, trying to clear his vision, and saw he was back in this hellish world. But in the white doctor's place was the same one, but wearing black instead of white. A long line of silence came, then finally:

_"Please ignore my saner half, William. He's a bit... Remorseful... Personally, I'd like to share something with you..."_

William tilted his head, continuing to examine the strange doctor. _'_ I know the white doctor looked familiar, but him...? Not him... I can't believe the head doctor looks exactly like him... He couldn't have been-... Wasn't he-?'before he could finish his thoughts, he heard;

_"... Goodbye, William..."_

Finally, there was clattering of metal and monstrous noises. He looked up, seeing that exact monster that had ran past him, eating whatever was hanging from the ceiling in front of him sometime ago. The monster finally hit the ground and rubbed it's hooked claws together and began waving them about. Great. He now has to face that giant thing. That very monster who could easily eat him whole, just like it did for that person hanging from the ceiling. But, he should have seen this coming. No monster here is not going to face the patient. He learned that at Redmoor Hospital. But, if he was going to face the demon, he better win and not die in front of the doctor. Dying in front of him is the last thing he wants, especially dying in the asylum he detests.

William only sighed and began preparing himself for battle, then looked at the black doctor, who still stood in place.

"Well, isn't this just great?" he responded, cynically.

 _"I'm afraid you need to be dead in order for me to share this with you. Don't worry, it may make it swift and painless. Or, maybe it won't, if you keep struggling against it, that is."_ the Doctor chuckled out, leaning forward. _" This will be amusing to watch..."_

"Of course it will, but I'm not dying without a fight. So don't get too excited, Doctor. I know this all too well..."

_"We shall see..."_

William held up his knife and began readying himself, while the doctor in black watched in amusement. Finally, William charged at the creature and began attacking and slashing, all the while dodging the creatures swipes, sometimes getting slashed by the demon's hooked arms and his blood dripping on the distorted ground. William backed up, panting. He turned his head to the doctor and lowered his eyelids.

"Just what exactly are you doing to me...? I thought you were-... No... It can't... Surely-..."

_"Oh, William... Even more of a stumbling fool than I remember."_

William rubbed his forehead quickly, then dodged the creature when he saw it was about to pounce at him. "Than you remember... Hmph, so indeed it's true, and you have more of an influence here than you did in the past... Seems like you've been relishing in my suffering..."

_"Ahahahahahaha!! Yes... See the world from I stand... Me, among the mighty... You caged at my command... Behold the faded light, William Redmoor..."_

William glared at the doctor, then turned his attention back to the demon. He finally felt a rush of heat, and finally, his irises and pupils went smaller, and he began charging at the creature slashing constantly at it, and chased it around when it was climbing on the barred ceiling. Finally it stopped, still on the ceiling and began, what seemed like it, vomiting. William stopped, only twitching his lips in disgust. Finally, he saw pinkish colored egg-things drop and land on the ground. He didn't know what they were, and he didn't want to stand around to figure it out, so he charged at them and slashed them all in half, and once the monster landed on the ground, he saw the chance to finish the thing quickly before it vomited more of those things.

_"You put up quite a fight, William. Even for a lunatic."_

"Is this how we're going to start our long awaited reunion, Doctor?" William hissed out, cynically. He turned his head, staring at the other from a distance. 

_"Ah, so you DO remember...! Finally decided to get with the program, hmm?"_

"How amusing of you." the patient lowered his eyelids in annoyance.

_"Ahahahahahaha! It matters not. Starting? No, far from such. But ending it? Oh, yes... You will have the last laugh when your heart will be devoured, along with your soul."_

"My judgement is not yours to give."

The Doctor only laughed out and gestured to the demon. William looked back, seeing the demon charging at him, becoming dangerously close to the patient. With little to no time to think, he backed away from the demon, but the creature pounced at William, digging its hooked claws into the patient. William staggered and fell back, falling upon his back. He growled lowly, now laying on his side, exhausted and badly wounded. His eyes grew heavy and he slowly looked ahead, seeing the hooked monster approaching him. Soon enough the demon finally stood over the patient, standing before him, ready to finish William off. The demon clashed its claws together and let out another roar. He could hear the doctor's laughing faintly, but couldn't move, let alone get up. Blood ran down his lips, and he coughed weakly. He felt raging pain in his chest and he weakly put his arm across it in an attempt to stop the pain. But, he knew it was useless.

 _"And it seems you were not good enough... How very tragic... Even more so, since this is our very first reunion in so long... and it has to come to such a swift end, like plant life in the winter season."_ the doctor laughed out. _"I suppose this is truly farewell, Mr. Redmoor..."_

"... Fate isn't that kind, Doctor..." William took the shank by its tip and held it up like a dart and threw it, no longer caring where it'll hit the monster, it was his last-resort option.

It landed in the monster's throat, seeming to deliver a killing blow to it and it finally fell to its side and died, bleeding out. William looked at the monster, and began trying to get up, but stopped when he heard the doctor laugh again in pure amusement. He turned his head weakly to face the doctor.

 _"Perhaps you tell a shred of truth amongst your madness, William.... Perhaps we are indeed destined to continue this little tirade... But, know now..."_ he laughed. _"That was a MERE glimpse at what I'm capable of...!"_ the doctor turned around, the blades, tools and weapons hanging from his belt swayed at every movement, and he left the room. The door to room or lab opened, while the other door ahead closed behind the strange, evil doctor.

"... Has he gotten more powerful as I became much weaker...? Has influence over me increased so dramatically over this long period of time...? ...That's fine, I suppose... Apparently, we haven't settled the score yet." was all William's response before he managed to get up, reclaim his shank from the throat of the dead monster, and slowly proceeded to the room the doctor was in, dragging himself the way there.   
When he entered, he heard a crack under his feet, and he looked down, seeing a dead guard. William sighed lightly. "I believe you're in my way." he finally stepped over the dead body and saw a key card, and a gun. 

He picked up the gun and examined it. He looked outside and back at the gun.

"I could've used this five minutes ago... No, like I would waste bullets on that. Conservation of ammo.... William...? Is that my name...? I can't remember... The nurse told me my name was William Redmoor, so I guess it is." He went over to the key card and put it in his pocket, then went to the door the doctor exited from and tried opening it. Locked. "Of course he locked it..." William shook his head.

Looking back at the door, he huffed out. Of course that doctor would be here. seems like indeed their fates are entwined together. But, he would've liked going without meeting the doctor or encountering them. But, things were never merciful or kind to the patient. With how much he suffered in Bright Dawn, he lost all kind of hope. There was nothing for him, no one to come to his rescue, nothing. Escaping and trying to find a way out of this nightmare was all up to him. But, he pondered to what end. Sure, he would be able to escape, but then what? The Doctor would just find him and continue toying with him, he couldn't live alone in peace. And he couldn't live his own life, especially being labeled as a patient. The world wasn't kind enough to let William turn his life around now that he's branded as a murderer. An INSANE murderer, which is something worse than just being a simple murderer.

The patient simply shook his head. It is here and now he must deal with.

It is the Doctor he must face. 


	4. Code Yellow

Finishing up in the large arena, he finally used the keycard and exited. When he was proceeding to the other door, a strange seal appeared over both doors and enemies appeared. He began trying to go through the door he left through, but the knob wouldn't budge. He figured he needed to kill the demons so he can proceed. He decided to give the gun a shot (no pun intended) and change from shank to revolver. Putting the shank in his back pocket, he took out the revolver and fired it at the demon, directly at its heart. The bullet pierced it, directly and downed the demon instantly. As he backed up, he felt the hooked hands of a demon grab him from behind. Finally, he felt its teeth sink into his sides, biting down upon him harder and harder. William grunted out, quickly took the shank out and stabbed it in the neck, tearing the knife across, decapitating the monster. Pushing the demon off, he freed himself from its hold. William inhaled heavily, feeling pain rage in his sides. Seeing more come at him, he reloaded the gun and began firing at the demons, aiming at all their hearts and mouths. Some took more bullets than other, but they finally fell. When it seemed like forever to William, the enemies were dead, and the seals vanished. He sighed heavily and quickly headed out, only to be met by another monster. Flinching slightly, he quickly readied the revolver and shot it in the chest twice, killing it. However, Killing the demon seemed to have triggered a shift in reality, going from the hellish world, back to the treatment center, real world. 

He looked around and lowered his eyelids. "Is this going to continuously happen...? If so, I'm not sure what's going to be reality and what's fake..." he proceeded to the gate and inserted the key card that was needed, and he stored it away. "How much will this go on...? Things are much more difficult now than before... Seems I won't catch a break..."

As he continued down the dark, empty hall, he heard the intercom activate, and finally:

"Attention all security and personnel, be advised that patient William Redmoor is Code Yellow."

After a line of silence and William standing still, looking up at the ceiling, he sighed and looked down. 

"Wonderful. Now the whole asylum is after me. It doesn't matter. I can fight them off. I've fought monsters and demons before, humans shouldn't be any harder." He looked down at his bloody hands and clothes, then lifted the shank up to stare at his reflection.

He still had blood on the side of his face and his eyes were still dilated to show his insanity. He continued to stare at his reflection, then saw his reflection faintly distort into the doctor's image. He tilted his head slightly, staring blankly at the shank and his distorted reflection, as if dazed. Soon enough, it reverted back to his regular reflection. 

"... I feel this sudden pain, yet... _Pleasure..._ " his actions and mentality changing suddenly, however he was not aware of such. _"Pain and pleasure... What a beautiful mix, almost a harmonious mix..."_

Seeming to snap back in reality, he shook his head and looked ahead. "... I feel like I'm forgetting so much of things... I have questions not even I can answer. The biggest one is why am I still standing here when a postcard told me to haul myself out of this nightmare? Not to mention, guards are in pursuit of me, I can't fiddle around now." William looked around, he saw a boarded off entry way he knew he couldn't enter and another door, and his only way forward currently was said door. "But even still... Why am I here, to begin with...? There must be a reason. And it may be of that doctor. Whatever it may be, I will find out and I will earn my freedom by killing all who stand in my way."

The patient opened the door to find himself on the first floor of the cell blocks. As he stepped out of the doorway and into the hall, he heard guards yelling and coming after him. William sharply turned his head, and quickly, he switched from shank, to revolver. He held the gun up to one of the guards coming at him. He lowered it, aiming at one of the legs and pulled the trigger, stunning the guard and making him fall on his knees. Putting the gun away quickly he rushed to the guard and took hold of him in his arms, choking the guard. Finally with a swift and brutal movement, he cracked the guard's neck with a loud snapping and popping noise, satisfying William in a twisted way. He threw the guard down and blood began pouring out from the guard's throat, signaling that William had popped the neck, and the bones ripped through the skin. William turned to the other guard coming at him and took his shank and charged at him, slashing at the guard. When he knew it was useless, due to the guard being fully armored, he quickly went behind the guard, took the soldier by the waist, and suplexed him with brutal force, hearing a loud snap of the neck. Letting go of the guard, William flipped himself up quickly and proceeded ahead, leaving the guards to bleed all over the floor. He looked around and even went into the open cell blocks to see if there was anything. He scavenged through all the cells on the lower floor, and the only thing he found was a box of revolver bullets.

He examined his surroundings again, the area strangely silent. 

"This is the bottom floor of the cell blocks. But, the stairs leading up... I can easily see my cell from here, but... It's empty and dark inside. In fact, most cells here and upstairs are. But it wasn't like that when I was thrown into my cell. What is going on in this place...? This place is dead quiet, but not even an hour ago, it wasn't." William noted out, shaking his head. 

He had went through the door ahead of him, and was greeted by one of the leech monsters in the room, however it didn't seem to notice him. Quietly, William pulled out the revolver, reloading it, he aimed it at the monster and fired, killing it. As he began reloading the gun, he looked at the ammo in the box, seeing there was now fewer bullets, only about 10 bullets left. He sighed, and looked at the gun. He supposed he could resort to using just the shank, but that would be risky. Especially if the guards could also be armed with guns. No sense in charging into a gun battle with a knife, that was just plain suicide. Though, William didn't mind the thought of dying, he'd rather not die in the hospital. After all, he strongly detested the place, and he had no intention of being dead in a place he spent most of his time in. The patient sighed at the thought and shook his head.

"... Running out of ammunition. Then again, this gun didn't come with much bullets. But, I'm surprised I can do all these new things. Well, I've heard that when a human feels they are in danger, they have a tenancy to come up with things and do things they didn't know they could do before, due to the feeling of endangerment. Well. Not even sure if it's true." William shook his head. He looked ahead, seeing another post card.

He walked over to it and picked it up, this time, he began reading it, since he wanted answers to his questions. The postcard read:

_"You were just the beginning. He's already started Phase Two. Things are going to get much worse..._

_\- William."_

"William...? Am... Am I writing these to myself...? Because everyone calls me William, and these say they're from William... Does this mean a part of me knows what's going and is trying to warn me of the doctor...? The doctor..." William trailed off.

The Doctor... Something finally began going off in his head.

"... The doctor... That's right, I remember more clearly now... He... He was at the Redmoor hospital... He was the one who took the woman away when she was trying to hand me the key, and the one I fought. So... Phase One was the Redmoor Hospital, I guess that's the beginning, because that's where I first saw the doctor, and all of this is now Phase Two? I'm guessing so... " William put the card in his pocket, along with the first one.  
"Something tells me the doctor isn't at all what I thought he was... Won't know till I get out of here, so..." William pulled the first postcard out and held it in front of him. 

"Lead the way, William."

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After a while of fighting guards off, he walked through doors, finding more barricaded entrances and finally, went outside. Looking up, he saw it was winter. Outside... How long had it been since he's seen the outside? Too long, he feels. Before heading back inside, he stood still, watching snow gently fall from the sky. The skies were an endless light-grey color, and the horizons and surroundings were hazy. But, he found himself enjoying the snow fall from the sky. To him, it was indeed beautiful and it made him yearn to escape more. He wasn't sure how long he was in Bright Dawn. He doesn't even remember when he was first admitted or what season it was when he was first thrown into Bright Dawn. But, he knew one thing; he hasn't seen the outside in forever, and he relished in breathing fresh air for the first time in forever...

The patient deeply breathes in the cold air and exhales.

"It's so good to breathe fresh air... I've yearned for this moment for so long... And to finally stand outside, even if I am still in this hospital... It's pure bliss... Soon... I'll be free... Soon..." he looked at the door ahead of him and proceeded through.

Ahead, he found, ahead of him, what looked to be a sledge hammer. He sighed, relieved that all his running around has finally paid off a bit. Using more of his bullets, he killed the leech monsters crawling around and finally made his way towards the sledge hammer. He finally picked it up and examined it. It was indeed weighty, but it will no doubt make a good weapon. Not only would it be useful in breaking down boards nailed to doors, but it could easily knock a demon down, if he swung it hard enough. He needed all the weapons he could get in escaping this damned mental hospital.

"This will certainly come in handy. As a weapon, but also taking down the boards I keep seeing." he turned, seeing a boarded exit. "Such as this one. And the ones far back... *Sigh* I have to do major back tracking... Just like in Redmoor Hospital...." William sighed and went towards the boards where he easily took them down with a powerful swing.

Exiting, he saw a cell door with an 'x' painted upon it. Curious as to what was within, he entered. He saw that he was now in a small, crammed cell. Not a bad cell, he thought to himself. It looked to be a one-person cell. He saw a paper, written by a patient upon a desk just next to the door. According to it, the patient had dug a very large hole and came across a natural cave, but boarded it off, due to monsters in there. Maybe it wasn't monsters, maybe there were wild animals in there, but that seemed unlikely. However, the natural cave seemed like the best way out, especially without being noticed by security and other doctors. William nodded, knowing where he needed to go now. Finally, a tunnel to freedom, or so he hoped. He looked around the cell, examining the small room. There were countless carvings all over the walls, words written that he didn't understand. He assumed they were written in a different language. Possibly Russian, since most of the patients here were and spoke Russian. In front of him, there was a carving that peaked his interest. It looked like a carving of a map. However, he wasn't too sure. He didn't have a map of the hospital. He didn't even know the hospital had boiler rooms.

The patient stared at the carving for a little bit.

"This may be a carving of where the boiler rooms are located... However, I don't know for certain. There isn't any certification that it is... All words are incomprehensible to me, written in another language... My best bet is to continue on and see if I'll reach the boiler rooms. If this patient actually dug through to a natural cave... Then it shouldn't be difficult to find where it is." he squinted, then looked around again.  
"I really wish I was in one of these cells and not the one I'm in currently. Though there are bugs that always follow me and never leave me alone, I'd rather have that and this tiny space than my current situation..." 

Leaving the cell and proceeding on, he came across a new monster. Some kind of brain with a mouth, and on four bug-like legs, making awful screeching noises. The patient flinched at the noises, already annoyed by this demon's constant screeching. William looked at the sledge hammer and shook his head, thinking it would be foolish to use a slow weapon on a quick-legged enemy. He was severely low on bullets, so he had no option but to use a shank, and get injured badly in the process. He went at the monster, swinging viciously all while dodging. However, the demon was extremely quick, and he suffered bites and slashes from the demon. Finally, he killed it and sighed. Looking at his condition, he knew he wasn't doing well. But, he continued on, knowing there wasn't anything he could do currently. However, as he reached around again, he saw deadly bugs coming at him. They were too small to shoot, and they came at him in a swarm. Swinging at them wouldn't help, so his only option was to bypass them.

With sledge hammer in hand, he decided to go back to all of the boarded off places and see what was there for him.

There was no doubt things he needed to get before heading on. 

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After doing a once-over, he collected ammunition, plenty of it, health pills, an antidote bottle (which he wondered if there would actually be demons that spat poison further on), and a health pack. He reloaded the revolver and when he pulled out shotgun ammo, he stared at it, confused as to why it was here when he never saw one. He decided not to leave it behind, as he may find a shotgun later. However, he searched every nook and cranny of the hospital, and there was not even a rack or a place where a shotgun COULD be housed, let alone for revolvers or any other guns. He briefly wondered if guards here even had guns. There wasn't a security room or a place that had racks of weapons.

He huffed lowly, unsure what the guards here were trying to accomplish.

"Why have shotgun ammo but no shotgun? What are they going to do, throw the bullets with their hands? I don't think that goes as fast as a gun fires a bullet..." 

Continuing on to where he left off, he saw a boarded off area, than seemed to be the last one present. Breaking it down, he went into another area and saw a crawl-through. Going through, he picked up a bottle of health pills. He got up and proceeded to the door, only to be greeted by a Chest Maw. He quickly took out the sledge hammer and came at the monster, swinging the hammer with a violent force, and two swings took the monster down. Indeed, the sledge hammer proved to be a deadly weapon. Going through the double doors, he proceeded downstairs. Looking at the door just ahead, he began to think that the boiler rooms were just ahead. He stopped himself and took some pills to rid the pain. He opened the health pack and saw that there was not much within. It looked like it was half-used. Sighing, he closed it. He was limited in resources, and wasting them would only damn him later. Taking a deep breath, he went over to the door. He began feeling eerie presences beyond. Yet, he began feeling like eyes were upon him.

He felt like he was being watched.

Somewhere.

He felt the grinning of the doctor upon him.

_" **We're like two sides of the same coin, William. Neither of us can succeed without destroying the other..."**_


	5. Escaping Echoes

After entering, William saw he was underground, or so it seemed. He saw steam escaping from pipes under him. He finally realized that he must have finally made it to the boiler room. Finally, escape was getting closer. Now, all he needed to do was find the tunnel and escape. However, he sincerely hoped the place was not occupied, also not terribly big either. But, the place seemed rather enclosed. It may be that the place is linear and easy to navigate. But, this was only the entrance. If navigation proves easy, he just hopes that there isn't any security down here to stand in his way. As the patient took a step forward, the intercom went on. He sighed, assuming it was another announcement about William leaving a trail of disaster behind him, however, it was someone else.

 _"Do you even have the slightest idea where you're going, William...? You're like a mouse trapped in a maze, looking for its cheese. But guess what, William~? The cheese is ALL GONE."_ The doctor jeered, causing William to glare up at the ceiling.

"Don't mock me, you little sheep." William hissed, heat rising inside of him. "At least this rat has venom that will kill anyone who gets in my way." he gripped the sledge hammer tightly, then proceeded forward.

He continued until he came across a flashlight in front of his feet. Finally, something useful. No doubt he was going to need it to navigate through the darkness. He quickly picked it up, but he began hearing whispers. He hesitated a bit, then continued forward, the whispers grew more intense. Finally, he turned around and there was a creature made of darkness coming at him with six rectangular, pure yellow eyes. He tried moving or doing some kind of action, but he felt stunned. It continued coming at him, the patient could do naught but watch it slowly come at him, hearing the whispers in his head growing more evident. Finally, William only looked down, lowering his eyelids. It felt as if he was trapped in some nightmarish illusions the whispers were creating. The demon was finally in front of him, practically encircling the broken patient in its darkness. Although the patient now felt like he was suffocating, it didn't break him out of the nightmares he was seeing, the illusions he was hearing.

"... I'm sorry... It's not-..." William began muttering lowly, still enraptured in the false visions.

~~_"Why did you do it...? It's your fault, William... Why did you kill us...? How could you have harmed us this way...?"_ ~~

"... Please, don't... do this..." tears began to slowly roll down his face. "... I didn't..."

~~_"You did... You're a monster... How could you, WIlliam... I loved you... Amanda loved you..."_~~

He tried to breathe in through his chest, but he felt like he was trying to breathe through syrup or honey. The pain in his chest slowly intensified as the shadowy demon continued to cloak the patient in cold darkness. Finally, the whispers had changed, something more soothing, in a sinister way. It was no whispers he acknowledged, but it spoke of safety from 'the cruel outside world'. Safety... Indeed something William began listening to... Yearning for... Safety, comfort and all the sort. The temperature was getting much colder, but to the patient, it strangely felt soothing. The whispers continued, swaying William on false safety, making the patient give in as the whispers changed from blames and harsh words to soothing comfort, offering safety and shelter from the cruel world.

**_"The world may blame you... The world may attack and try to kill you... But don't be afraid... Embrace the darkness... Weep not, poor patient..."_ **

**_"Stay... Stay here... No one will hurt you... No one will find you... You are safe... Here in the garden of shadows..."_ **

_**"Hush now, dear William... It must be this way..."** _

_**"Follow, sweet patient... We'll sure lead the way... Through all the pain and sorrows..."** _

_**"We'll protect and love you... Stay... Stay... with us..."** _

The patient looked into the eyes of the demon, his eyelids heavy and his eye color taking on a slight golden hue. 

However, something in him managed to break himself free of the demon's hold. He shined the flashlight right in front of the demon. The light caused it to hiss and draw away from the patient. William shook his head, trying to get himself together. Finally, he continued on, avoiding the demons that kept coming at him.

"What are these things...?! They are nothing I have ever seen...!" he looked behind him, seeing one still pursue him. He turned around and fired a bullet at the demon. However, a strange whistling noise ensured, and the demon continued at him, nothing changed in its appearance. "Bullets are nothing against it... Getting near it won't work, either... So what drives them away...? Can they even be killed...?! I guess my only option is to keep running..." he sighed, turning away and continued forward, avoiding them as best he could. 

He finally arrived in a room where it was safe and more quiet. He sighed at the sweet silence. At last, something more assuring. No demon, guard or doctor here. Only emptiness and silence... Something the patient relished in... At least it was until the Doctor came up over the PA again... 

_"You can't hide from me, William. This place is like a part of me now."_

After a while of silence...

"Oh, I can hide. It's just useless because you always know where I am. I know you can see me, I feel you smirking down at me." William glared up at the ceiling, then went over to the hole and broke the boards, got down on his knees and crawled through the hole. "Agh... This must be the tunnel... At least I'm free of this prison..."

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After crawling, he finally stood, seeming to be in a natural cave, as the letter said, and just as the letter said, there were monsters, which he killed quickly as he could, without straining himself too much. The tunnel seemed to stretch long. He wondered how big the tunnel was. But, he decided to keep those thoughts aside. He wanted to get out of the cave as soon as he could, as fast as he could. He wanted to run and run, be free of that prison he was trapped in for god knows how long.

He wanted to run and never look back...

Finally, he came to a door. He grew hesitant as he felt cold air drifting through. After a while of stillness, he opened the door and proceeded outside.

He looked around as snow poured down from the sky. It was grey outside, but light enough to not need a flashlight. He turned it off and stored it away. He held the sledge hammer in one hand and took a step forward. He saw another postcard that read:

_"It's spreading like a cancer... Hurry!_

_-William."_

William put the card in his pocket and nodded, then ducked under the logs, proceeding ahead. He looked around, and even saw a sign saying; Welcome to Pelf Village. Although it looked more like a snow-covered wasteland than a village, but this was only the entrance. Maybe it would look more like a village if he continued on through.

"A village...? I'm outside already...? I can't believe so much time had passed... It's already winter. I can't remember the seasons before. It doesn't matter. I always liked winter... Desolate, silent... and peaceful... So I'll just enjoy the season while it lasts." he breathes in, then exhales, a cloud of his breath showing in the air. Finally, he frowned. "But... I cannot. I am not properly dressed for the weather, and though I haven't been out here for even ten minutes, I'm growing cold already... Best be quick." he sighed, but then hesitated.

Everything went blank.

Questions began piling on by the dozens.

"Be quick...? Be quick for what? I escaped, now I need to hurry? Hurry to where? What exactly am I looking for...? Here I go again, getting more questions than answers. 'Spreading like a cancer'...? What? .... Why am I even out here again...? I can't remember..." he sighed as he proceeded, turning left and finding a door on his left again, leading somewhere. 

As he entered, he looked around. He seemed to be in some kind of a bar. He wasn't sure what the place was, exactly. He hadn't seen a place like it. Perhaps he had a very long time ago, now he had no idea what it was exactly. He saw a torn paper, and looked at it with a quick glance. It seemed to tell about a Wendigo Witch, which William scoffed to. Some legend and fairy tale he had no interest in. He decided not to even finish the first sentence of the torn page, turning away from the torn slip. He proceeded ahead but stopped when he saw a note next to the door. He looked at it and began reading it. His eyes finally went wide. He knew that handwriting... Something was going off in him, yet he just couldn't quite recall exactly. It read:

_"_ _William, my love. You have finally returned for me. My dear William, I have missed you desperately. Go south to the docks, it is my favorite place. I will see you there. Please hurry._

_Love, Elizabeth XOX."_

"E-Elizabeth...?" William spoke in a low tone. "Elizabeth... Elizabeth...." he clicked his tongue, trying to remember if he met an Elizabeth in his life.

Finally...

"Elizabeth...! She... She's my... My... What was she...? Friend...? No... She was someone important, that I know. The beginning is 'William, my love'... So she must have loved me. But who would love me? I'm a mess..." he muttered. "I was a mess for as long as I can remember. But, I can't remember much, or anything, really..."

He sighed deeply, taking the note and folded it up, placing it in his pocket. Finally, he exited and was back outside again. As he looked up, he saw a new kind of demon... Some floating creature coming at him. More demons. No matter where he went, there were demons. Not just the same ones, but new, unseen ones. He glared daggers and pulled out the revolver. 

"You're in my way... Sorry, but I have a date with destiny. Cannot keep her waiting." William hissed out.

He aimed at the demon, aiming at it, then finally fired three times, killing the strange, floating thing. He rushed around in the cold, freezing air, trying to find Elizabeth, or any sign of the docks she spoke of. He did a quick-over of the area for any supplies, as he knew he would need it, especially on trying to find Elizabeth. He began thinking about if he found her. Something felt a bit off to him, but he was relieved that she was okay and left a note for him. But what he found strange was how did she know he returned for her...? It seemed like the note had been there forever in a day and she was nowhere to be seen in the hospital, or the tunnels, or the boiler room. So how would she know? Was she watching him the entire time? If so where? All kinds of questions like those filled William's head, and it made him question the situation a bit, but he shook it off and when he saw double-doors ahead of him, he proceeded through, seeing if it was the docks, where Elizabeth said she'd await for him. For William, it would be extremely relieving to see and be with her again. Though he couldn't remember much, bits of his memory was coming back. He was remembering that she was important to him, someone he could trust. And there was very few people he could trust. However, he still cannot remember the relationship between her and him, let alone understand it.

To see Elizabeth... This made him anxious.

However, The Doctor found this to be the most amusing.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_Like the tale of Romeo and Juliet, only this time..._

_Romeo murdered Juliet and is going insane, and now..._

_Juliet haunts him forevermore..._

_"Romeo, oh Romeo, where art thou...?"_


	6. Struggle

Busting through the double-door gates, William looked around, seeing that he was at some kind of docks. Finally, the place he needed to be at. When he tried to run ahead, a demon appeared in front of him. He took out his sledge hammer and swung at the demon, furious that these things just keep standing in his way. However, killing it would waste too much him. After he knocked it down, he rushed ahead, walking across the docks. However, when he turned to a corner, he saw a female figure. One that looked familiar. No... He saw her before... In the elevator at Bright Dawn... Everything began going off in him... Elizabeth... Yes... That was her... She was wearing a black dress, and black, thick tights. She head a deep violet scarf around her and wore black boots. Her blonde hair was put back into a bun, with bangs hanging out. She looked up, then around, and finally turned to the left and began walking away. 

William's eyes widened and he rushed ahead, trying to catch up to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth...!! Wait...!!" He stopped, seeing that the docks were separate. He had no choice but to snake through buildings as fast as he could.

After breaking the planks blocking off the door, he killed some but also ignored the demons beyond. He continued running, trying to find Elizabeth, desperate to meet her... To see her again. He busted through the building he saw Elizabeth went through, only to see she was no longer in the building. His heart nearly stopped at the shock. His only response to it was he began tearing the place apart looking for her, even though she wasn't here. But surely she left a clue for him, telling him where she went next... He only found a strange relic, and a letter from Elizabeth. William stared at it then took it and began reading it. It reads:

_"_ _William, my dear._  
 _It is difficult for me. I'm sorry. Much has changed since we last saw each other.  
Please try to find a way to enter the northeast area of the village. I'll wait for you at the Inn.   
Please come quickly._

_-Love Elizabeth X."_

"*Sigh* I'm coming, Elizabeth..." William sighed. He put the letter in his pocket and left the room.

Making his way back to point A, he saw there was a door he had not been through before turning the corner again. He decided to check it out then leave quickly. There may be supplies, but there may not be, either. He hoped there would be a new weapon. The only way to find out was to scavenge the place quickly. Also, it would do him to get out of the cold for a while. Heading through the door, he looked around. The house was completely dark. No sign of anyone around, either. It was almost as if the village was evacuated of all people. Since he first entered, he hadn't seen a single soul in sight, the village was but a frozen, desolate wasteland. He briefly wondered what happened, but promptly shook his head, such thoughts not useful for the current situation. As he was going through the place, he found and took a shotgun that was hanging on a rack in a bedroom. He took it and held it close to him.

"I could use another firearm. Especially one more... dangerous." He finally exited the house and began continuing his pursuit for Elizabeth.

As he continued, he stopped, feeling his heart beginning to ache as some kind of flashbacks or visions began interrupting his thoughts and progress. He placed his hand on his head as some kind of a sequence unknown to him raced through his mind.

\- - - - - - - _Past/Dream(?) sequence - - - - - - - -_

_"Where's our child? Where's Amanda, William...?" Elizabeth asked her husband in fear._

_William stared at Elizabeth, blood all over him, and his eyes dilated, showing his insanity. He stood in silence, holding a bloody gun by his side. Finally, he raised the gun, holding it and turning it in his hand._

_He lowered his eyelids, his face a blank slate, still staring at the gun._

_"Don't worry about that, dearest Elizabeth. She'll join you soon enough..." he finally cocked the gun, readying it._

_He raised it at Elizabeth, pointing it directly at her forehead._

_"I bid thee adieu, my sweet..."_

_"William...! Please... My love... It doesn't need to be like this...!!"_

_\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -_

William shook his head, stopping the flashback from continuing, as everything else was growing vague. He looked down, and lowered his heavy eyelids. After a long while, he sighed and finally looked, continuing ahead and resuming his chase, trying to find Elizabeth. The day was passing quicker and it was growing colder, but William continued on, even though he was freezing cold and weak. However, he was determined to find Elizabeth. He wanted to see her again... He was desperate to see a friendly face. He feels that at least seeing her would ease so much of his burdens. He had no choice but to pick up the pace and continue on.  
Going through a house, he began hearing strange, yet disgusting, noises. Noises he's never heard off. To the left was another green vial. Just like the one he found a Bright Dawn. Going over to the table, he picked up the bottle and examined it. However, the strange noises continued, seeming to get louder. Putting the bottle into his pocket, he looked up. The patient tilted his head and took out his flashlight and hesitantly climbed the stairs. As he did, there was a new demon before him. One with an unidentifiable shape, but one certainly disturbing. Taking out the revolver, he began shooting at it. As bullets pierced its form, it began... laughing? Certainly disturbing, William thought. And he encountered quite a lot of demons.

"Yes, laugh at pain. Something the Doctor always seems to do for me." William spoke, continuing to fire at the demon.

Finally, the creature spat a large ball of something. Bile, probably, as it was a deep green. However, when it landed upon his arms, it began burning through his skin quickly, causing the patient to flinch and back away immediately. He rubbed his arm quickly, his hand now burning as well.

"Agh! What-?! Acid...? Poison...?!" finally, he remembered picking up a green vial moments ago, and back in Bright Dawn. Pulling one of them out, he quickly uncorked it and poured it upon the afflicted spot. The burning sensation began going away, the burn marks vanishing. "... So this IS an antidote... I need to find more of these..."

Quickly casting the empty bottle aside, he fired more at the demon and finally killed it, it's dying laugh echoed through the room. As it vanished, the patient sighed out, lowering his gun. Looks like the trip is going to get much more complicated from here... He finally exited the building, heading outside. Just ahead of him seemed to be a large building. The inn, the patient hoped. As he finally got to the inn and began looking around for Elizabeth, he found keys to a room, room 302 just behind the counter. He snatched them, and either killed or avoided the demons that stood in his way. Especially avoiding the demons that spat poison. Fighting them would only prove to be very dangerous. As he reached the door upstairs at the end of the third floor, he opened it and slammed it shut behind him. However, upon gazing at it, the room was bloody, demon corpses upon the ground. And a letter on the bed. He went over to it and picked it up and when he saw it was, yet another, letter from Elizabeth, he sighed again and collapsed to the ground with exhaustion. He tiredly read the entire letter. It read:

_William.  
I want to see you, but they are making it so difficult. Our safe house is west of here. Remember?  
I have a surprise for you. Meet me there. I have changed our code, it is now 254.   
You must hurry. _

_-Elizabeth. X"_

William's eyes grew heavier and he shivered with cold. He sighed again, laying his head on the bed, while his body laid upon the floor.

Gone, again...

All the progress and rushing was beginning to be useless... No matter how much he tried, no matter how fast he tried to go, she was always a step ahead of him, always gone before he could reach her... He wasn't sure how she killed the monsters, but it made him impressed. Unfortunately, such a thought wasn't strong enough to make William smile, even a little. It was disheartening that she's always one step of William. He felt himself growing weary, and even more anxiety-ridden. He began wondering if he was ever going to find her. His hope began slipping... Thoughts of hopelessness began filling his mind. Thoughts of despair... How he wanted to see her again... But he was almost convinced he never will... He knew fate wouldn't be kind to him, such hope and desires were impossible to have. Happiness wouldn't be an option for him, and he can somehow feel that doctor laughing at his useless, feeble attempts.

But... He had to try.

"Elizabeth, you're putting me in a bind..! My dear, what is on your mind...?!" he sighed. "... I have to pick up my pace, still hold to my vision...!" he finally stood up slowly, his body shaking with coldness and weakness. He quickly put the letter in his pocket and rushed out of the inn. "Hour by hour, one more change...!" William sighed as he began running all the way back west to the safe house, the snow and weather growing colder and worse, the day ending quicker and quicker. 

Through the dangerous trek, his left leg finally went numb, almost as if it was asleep, and he finally tripped, landing into the snow. He panted heavily, as he tiredly looked at his leg. He tried moving it, but it finally locked up, no longer wanting to move an inch. 

"My leg... It's frozen over... I can't... move... But... I need... to get to the safehouse... To... Elizabeth..." he began uselessly crawling through the snow, trying to move. However, he stopped, laying on his side.

Growling lowly, William forced himself up, ignoring his leg's numbness. Standing straight, he began slowly hobbling to the safe house where he put in the combination in and entered. His heart was racing and his anxiety was overcoming him. He needed Elizabeth to be here... Here and now. Desperation was overwhelming his being, as well as frustration, anxiety and even sadness. A whole storm of emotions he wasn't sure how to express or comprehend. As the patient stormed down the stairs, ignoring his numb leg, which caused him to almost fall down the stairs, he saw demons. Of course there would be demons here. But seeing him added more hopelessness to the mountain of emotions. But, he knew that they would be here. He finally stormed through them, this time killing them, as he knew he didn't want to deal with them later. But, using his energy to actually try and kill them made things more difficult, especially when the patient had so much going through his head. Taking longer than he wanted to, he killed what demons were before him. Looking around, it seemed be clear of any trouble. He nodded to himself, then stormed all around the house until he came across a letter.

Another letter. And her not being here. Again. And again...

It was indeed no use... It was just a useless, wild chase... The patient began to think what was the point in trying so hard when it was useless...

It didn't state who it was by, but he assumed it was Elizabeth. It always was. He sighed heavily, running his bloody hand through his messy hair. He took the letter and read it. It wrote:

_"_ _They got here first. They took Amanda. I'm going to the church._

_Take the key. Meet me there. They will come..._

_This will end..."_

William put the letter in his pocket, and took the key hanging in front of him. He slowly did a once-over of the house, then stopped in the master bedroom, finally giving up. He finally sighed and unrolled the sleeves to his jacket, now covering his arms. He adjusted his bloody apron, then the torn collar of his light jacket. Upon finishing, he felt the hope he didn't even know he still had slip away from him. He staggered over to the bed, his mind racing with his thoughts. Instead of trying to hope for the best, nothing but doubts and questions swarmed his thoughts. Did he even want to try anymore? A thought of pointing the gun to his head and pulling the trigger began to be the best option for him. It would certainly end everything. However, he found himself not able to move. He began growing very pale and his vision blurred. As he sighed, his breath showed in the air, showing as a big white cloud, quickly fading. His tired, heavy eyelids lowered as he shivered and collapsed on the side of the bed, the ice-cold blankets and sheets feeling deathly cold. He shook his head, trying to force himself up, but every nerve in him rejected such movement. The patient tried taking a deep breath, but all that came out was hyperventilated breaths and improper breathing. And yet, it still felt like he couldn't breathe. His chest was burning with pain and he couldn't stop the tears beginning to run down his face. 

He wasn't sure what to think. In fact, the patient found himself not able to think at all. If he even tried to think, he felt like his heart would just finally stop. But, the wave of fear, sadness, confusion and anger was hitting him terribly hard, practically jeopardizing his whole being.

He gritted his teeth tightly, his eyes going wide in pure terror. 

"Elizabeth... What are-... Elizabeth... ... Doing to me...? ... Elizabeth...!! This-... This can't be-... Doctor... What-... What are... What-..." he muttered, his fingers tearing into the sheets as he couldn't even form complete sentences. "Why...? Why...?! Why...?!... Will this end...?! Will it?!"

\- - - - - - - - -

_"Let me die... Just end this... Kill me, let this suffering stop...!! I can't... take it...! Stop it...!!"_

_..._

**_"Ahahahahaha!! Oh, but this is the just start... Bleed more for me, my little patient...!_**

**_... Dance for me, my little puppet...! Suffer just for me, unfortunate one...!_**

**_You are all MINE, William Redmoor!!"_ **


	7. Imaginary

Hours came and went, and soon enough, it was almost midnight. However, all the time before was a blur. It was far colder currently than it was before he passed out. He didn't even remember passing out, but apparently he did. The house was freezing cold, so much so that ice and frost was developing on the walls and other surfaces. William's eyes opened slowly and he slowly got up, and sat up in bed. He ran his hand through his hair (which had gone rather stiff and even froze over a bit) and looked around. When did he pass out...? Everything was a blur. He wasn't even sure how much time really passed. Seeing that it was dark outside, he assumed much time passed. He wasn't sure how he was in bed when he was laying on the bed's side, but he decided to shake the fleeting though out. After the hours of rest, he was feeling better, but still very cold and wounded. But, he felt a bit more calm. Breathing in, he could feel air into his lungs. Though, despite feeling a bit better, emotions were still hitting him hard. He was still hesitant about continuing on. However, there was a part of him that persisted. And so, he listened to that sliver of persistence. William finally stood up and sighed. He picked up the note, which seemed to have fallen out of his pocket. He glanced through it, and sighed. 

"* Sigh* ... Alright... To the church... I'm coming, Elizabeth...."

As he placed the note in his pocket, he looked ahead at what seemed to be a wardrobe. Something important, he noted to himself. He knew he couldn't overlook it, so he slowly went to it and opened it. It was just about barren. He expected as much. Except for a light grey long shawl. He picked it up, feeling the material. It wasn't very heavy, but it wasn't light, either. Though, it was real soft. Almost like a blanket. Something he actually took a liking to. Something that even felt calming to him. The shawl had intricate threading, the yarn a bit thick. It wasn't wool, he knew what. What was it called...? Chenille? Something like that, maybe? He didn't know, really. But, it would indeed prove useful.

He looked out the window, then back at the shawl. "... If I go back outside in my current state, I won't make it to the church."

He put it on and began looking for either a lighter or matches. After looking in cabinets, he managed to find a box of matches, though there were few matches within the box. He tore some of the wood floor boards out, stacking it in a pile. Then, he tore off some fabric from the blankets, and put it on top of the wood planks. Finally, he lit a match and put it on top of the pile, setting it alight. He sat down in front of it, trying to warm himself up, or more so his leg. He sat in front of the makeshift fire for about an hour, or at least until he regained feeling in his leg and it started to move, and at least until he felt rather comfortable. And that was plenty enough time, as he was starting to feel rather comfortable and no longer freezing. He finally stood up and put out the fire, then headed downstairs. He got to the front door, then hesitated. He nodded, then exited. As he continued making his way to the church, he was lost in thought, and also asking a whole lot of questions he didn't have answers to. He even pulled out some of the postcards that seemed to be written by himself, then he pulled out the paper that told where he came from and his background. He tried to find answers about himself or to his questions, but nothing was being made clear.

He wasn't even sure if William was his real name. Everyone called him William, so he always responded to that name, but who was he really...? And the doctor he keeps seeing... He was feeling some odd feelings about him, almost as if he knows who the doctor really is. But he only sees this doctor in the hellish realm he's in. Or is it really a realm...? He feels it's all real, and that it's really happening, but how is it he's getting postcards to himself...?

Has he been in this situation before...?

William shook his head, dismissing all the questions and thoughts. He was getting colder and colder, and thinking about all of that slowed his progress, and if he didn't hurry up, he would suffer from frostbite. He won't know, or even get answers until he proceeds, and maybe find Elizabeth and save Amanda. But somehow, he wasn't liking how Elizabeth is leading him on a wild chase for her. And the situation is giving off an eerie aura, but still he continued on, heading to the church. But before the patient knew it, he was at the church gates. However, they were locked. He sighed, then saw another letter. Although, it really wasn't a letter, it was more or less of a demand. It stated:

" _Go south. Find Amanda.  
Bring her to me."_

"... Alright, but... Why did they take her...? And why do I have to bring her to you specifically, Elizabeth...? This-... This isn't like you at all, Elizabeth... That much I know..." William stared at the demanding letter, he sighed heavily, then he put it in his pocket.

He proceeded ahead and used the skull key on the door and entered. As he stepped forward and looked around, he seemed to find the other half of the article about the witch. It seems to tell of her appearance and how she lures people. This made him question Elizabeth. Was it really her...? He shook his head and continued on. Finding a shovel, he saw graves around him. It seems like he needs to dig graves to find Amanda. But, to him, it seems... Morbid. He decided to no longer question, and do as told. He looked all around, reading the tombstones, seeing if Amanda's name appeared. But none seemed to. In fact, he questioned who wrote on the tombstones. Because most of them seemed like a joke.

"'Old Man Dupree; It's about time'? It almost makes me pity the dead. The living defile the tombstones with jokes, rather than showing sincerity. Some are rather normal, but it just seems the further down I go, the more the tombstones are carved with jokes. *Sigh* I think, when I die, I'd rather be cremated. Because at least no one can defile my ashes with ridiculous jokes." William sighed out, staring darkly at the tombstone before. "It makes me concerned what other kinds of 'jokes' I'll find when I get deeper into this place."

But, why would her grave be here? She was alive, wasn't she? He kept thinking to himself. He decided to head down, and when not seeing her name on that floor either, he decided to head to the final floor. There was a grave that seemed to stick out to him. He began approaching it, he saw that it was Amanda's grave. That suddenly erased the thought of her being alive out of his mind. His eyes widened as he stared.

"A-Amanda's... dead...? ... N-no...." William trailed off. He stared at the shovel and threw it aside. He put his hand in the dirt, finding something inside. William tilted his head and pulled it out. It was a child's doll. "... This would have made such a nice present for her..."

Finally, he felt he was going back into the hellish world again. He looked around, holding the doll, but nothing really changed. He finally stood and took the doll with him and proceeded ahead. He finally began encountering more monsters. No surprise to him. He pulled out his shotgun with one hand and held Amanda's doll in the other. He began firing at the monsters, and reloading the shotgun swiftly with the same hand, jerking the shotgun up with a violent force to load it each time with the rounds. He finally killed the monsters and began proceeding to the large tower, but stopped when he saw it had a seal upon it. It seems that there were more monsters nearby. Indeed there were, as more of those poisonous monster came out, laughing twistedly at him. In order to proceed, he had to kill them. But, he really hated fighting them. Not only were they a pain, but they were certainly annoying. At least he didn't have to fight them close-ranged. He proceeded ahead slowly, holding up the shotgun. Finally, when he saw Chest Maws accompanying the poisonous demons, he began shooting at them, then began using his legs to kill them. Upon killing the Maws, he went after the other demons, using his revolver to finish them off. As the demon's bodies disappeared, the seal did as well and he entered.

He appeared to be in some kind of church. He collected the ammo all around and finally stood at the altar in the front of the church. He looked up, hearing chains rattle, and demonic noises. He looked at the doll and finally placed it on the altar. Finally the noises grew louder, and a dagger shot down, impaling the doll, silencing the noises. He took the dagger, and finally he began hearing Elizabeth's voice echoing. 

_'Where's our daughter...? Where's Amanda...?'_

_\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -_

Finally everything went black and he found himself in an open and foggy forest of some sort. He looked around, wondering where he was. Finally he began to hearing whispering, someone whispering his name. The voice sounded sweet and gentle... Something that made nerves trigger in him... That voice...

"E-Elizabeth...?" he looked around. 

He looked around, trying to figure where it was coming from. Finally, up ahead, he began seeing the woman, Elizabeth, who was beckoning William to approach her. At last... There she was... At long last... William's eyes widened and tears flooded his eyes, running down his face and washing away the old blood stain on the sides of his face. He began slowly approaching her and finally stood in front of her. His breathing was rugged as he was still very cold and wounded badly, standing brokenly before the one he cherished. He put his hand upon his side, covering the gaping wound, while his free hand held the dagger he had obtained. 

"... E-Elizabeth... I'm sorry... Amanda's... gone..." he slowly closed his eyes and tears fell to the dirt. "It's my fault... I wasn't fast enough... I was too late... I'm... I'm so sorry..."

 _"William..."_ Elizabeth's voice carried softly. Her hand wiped away his tears and he tilted his head to the side, his eyelids opened halfway. She drew her hand away and saw he was covering his wound. She placed her hand on his, and he drew it away, showing her the gaping wound. Finally she place her hand on it.  
 _"It's okay, my love... You're safe now... Look how cold and tired you are... I will ease your pain..."_ Elizabeth whispered as she drew closer to William, still keeping her hand upon his wound.

William sighed tiredly, closing his eyes. His head fell upon her shoulder in tiredness as he felt a soothing sensation.

"Elizabeth..." he whispered.

_"At last, we could meet again, my love... I missed you. It's been so long."_

"... I've missed you so much... I've longed... to see you again... So much has happened... I-... I lost faith in everything..." the patient spoke, lowly. "... I-... I'm sorry... I've been... imprisoned..."

_"... Imprisoned...? You were... Imprisoned...?"_

"... Yes, I was... Locked away in an asylum... But, I escaped... I am away from that place... I'm free..."

_"Indeed, and now... We can be together now, my love..."_

"... I've longed for this moment... for so long..." he nuzzled closer to her as she wrapped her arms around him. "... At long last..."

She only sighed deeply, her hands finally running down to his posterior, then to where his wounds were. He flinched slightly at the sting when her fingers glided across each wound. He briefly wondered why her hands glided upon his rear briefly, but he shook it off as he continued embracing Elizabeth, safety and comfort enveloping his being. At last, to be in the arms of the one he trusted so much... It was more than just a feeling of happiness... It was bliss. Something more than words could express...

_"I've waited for you, beloved William..."_

"... When I saw your note.... I tried finding you as quick as I could, always getting your letters... Yet, being one step behind you..."

_"It is hard. Especially what you have done to me. Why did you do it...?"_

That familiar question hit William hard, like a bullet to the chest. No, something much more painful than being shot... He looked at the other in pained sadness. "E-Elizabeth.... I would never-.... Why must you ask such a thing....? I couldn't bring myself to harm you....! I trusted you.... I always did... and I always will... You were the only one who accepted me for my distrusting personality... You were... truly special to me... More than special... You were... everything to me..."

Finally, he felt something impaled him in an exact area of a wound, opening it and making it worse. His eyes widened as he heard blood dripping rapidly, and felt blood running down his lips. He felt claws digging into his back, but he couldn't pull himself back, as he was completely caught off guard. He grip was like iron when he tried to withdraw. 

However, it wasn't pain from the wounds he was feeling worse of...

It was the pain in his heart.

The pain of deception. 

William cried out in pain as his eyes closed tightly. "Elizabeth...!! *Coughs*"

 _"What is wrong, my love...? Don't you know that love hurts?"_ Elizabeth spoke, cruelty dripping in her voice. 

Finally, William felt whatever impaled him being drived through him more, causing the wound to worsen and more blood to be lost. It was long, inhumanly long, claws. He felt them coming out from behind him, the claws drove clean through him. He knew now that this wasn't Elizabeth.

Realizing the painful reality... It was the written 'Wendigo Witch'.

"You're... You're not Elizabeth..." he hissed out, then took his dagger and looked down at his side, and began cutting at what seemed to be a translucent wrist.

Finally, he heard an inhuman shriek and hiss rang out, and William finally managed to draw himself away, blood from both sides spilled, mixing into a puddle in the dirt. He looked up slowly, and in Elizabeth's place was a hideous witch. She continued hissing and shrieking, while looking at its missing hand. William drew away a little, holding the bloody knife. He finally took the hand and ripped it out of his side and tossed it aside. He almost collapsed at the action he did, but he used his remaining strength to keep himself standing. 

"I should have known that something was amiss..." he sighed deeply, looking down. "... That something too good to be true was happening... Yet... I yearned for the moment... My desperation got the better of me... And that made me let my guard down..." he glares at the witch. "This just further proves that this world is vile and no one can be trusted..." he switched to the shotgun and held it up slowly with one hand, while the other covered his side that was nearly pouring out blood. "So, no more tricks and show me what you got, Harlot." He hissed venomously, baring his teeth. His eyes dilated smaller as heat and rage boiled in him.

...

 _I will make this world pay for what it has done to me..._


	8. Battle of the Patient and the Witch of Illusions

The witch finally hissed at William in warning, then finally disappeared into green mist. He patient looked around and backed up slightly, preparing himself. He heard distant footsteps, then silence. Footsteps again, then nothing. The patient then switched to the revolver and held it up to where the sounds were coming from, only to see nothing beyond. Hiding... He wasn't a fan of having to play hide and seek with some witch, but it appeared he had little to no choice. 

_~~"You've been very bad, William..."~~_ he heard, the voice sounded like Elizabeth's, but distorted.

He turned around again, to where the source of the voice was, but again, there was nothing in sight... 

Finally, the witch appeared behind him and attempted to strike out at the patient with her claws. William swiftly turned around and held up his arms to shield himself from the attack and only his arms were slashed and he still stood his ground. He lowered his right arm and raised his left, pointing the gun at the witch and fired at her. Hitting her, she hissed again, then disappeared. He wasn't sure if it even did much to her. William covered his bloody arms with his hands, then readied himself again. She charged at William very swiftly and the patient tried to react the same, but his reflexes failed him. She slashed out at him, at his chest and then his face, knocking him down. Blood ran down his face and lips as he slowly began getting up, still holding the revolver. He watched as the witch came at him again, then fired. She shrieked again and disappeared. William exhaled heavily.   
However, as he blinked his surroundings changed. He appeared to be back outside, in Pelf. He looked around, and finally saw her face again... Elizabeth... She stood distance away, beckoning at William. His eyes widened as his gritted his teeth. Tears ran down his face as he was unsure what to believe. If it really was too good to be true... Or but another nightmare and illusion. Did he kill the witch finally...? His body decided to move forward, toward her. But, his mind was thinking something else. Finally, he managed to stop himself, though it used a great amount of effort. He stood before her, in absolute doubt. 

"William... It's so good to see you again." she spoke, her smile vanished as she examined him. "But... You look awful... My love, what happened to you...?"

He stood in silence, looking sternly at the other. Tears and blood mixed as both continued to run down his tired face. Is this really her...? Did he actually kill the witch...? Or was this another one of her crude jokes...? Doubt raced in his mind, but another thought was telling her it must be her. But, he didn't want to let his guard down. Surely things can't be too good to be true. Finally, he felt his body tensing up, as if putting up its guard on its own. All doubt began vanishing in his mind, as if he now knew the answer... 

_It is time to face your fears, to face the obscurity that clouded your memories and past..._

_To face those who take advantage of you and your forgetful and insane nature, deceiving you with agonizing illusions..._

"William...?"

_Time to stand for what you believe in... And conquer falsehood..._

"No..." the patient gripped the revolver tightly. He gritted his teeth again and looked at the other with hatred and anger. More tears continued to roll down his face, as well as blood from his wounds. "From Redmoor Hospital to Bright Dawn... And my agonizing fate... You are not her! You are not real!!" he hissed out, venomously.

_Conquer falsehood!!_

Finally, his surrounds went to normal, and the witch reverted back to her true form, shrieking at William. He finally fired the revolver and shot the other, who disappeared once again. The patient panted, growing out of breath, but he continued to remain alert. However, the witch kept coming at him, and she finally came into close quarters, where guns would be risky. He pulled out his shank and began fighting blade-to-claw. The witch even continued trying using Elizabeth's image to make William suffer once again, trying to make him an easy target.

Using Elizabeth's image, she laid on the ground, extending her hand to the patient.

 _"William...!! Please help me!"_

It worked once... But not this time...

The patient lowered his eyelids at her, aiming his gun at the other. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." finally, he pulled the trigger, firing at her.

The witch flinched and she transformed back and threw William into a tree when he was close enough. He fell to the ground, coughing up blood. He finally looked up, seeing the witch slowly approach him. He looked to the side of him, at a slight distance was the ritual dagger, which he had dropped. He slowly stood up, putting his arm across his chest, as it raged in pain. He finally got it, in desperate peril and began striking back at the Wendigo. She evaded all his attack, and she found an opening, where she slashed William's chest. He backed off a bit, giving himself distance. He sheathed the dagger and pulled out the revolver, as guns seemed to work best against her. He reloaded his gun, and the witch saw that as an opportunity to finish the patient off. However, his reflexes seemed to have come back a bit, making a move before she could. He fired at her wrist, severing her hand off. 

"You can take advantage of me all you want, but the more you do this, the less it will work in your favor...! You tricked me very well, leaving those notes, acting as her. But, you were slipping at the end, changing tones in the letter, stating demands. That last letter just about confirmed my suspicions. I may not know very much, but I do know that Elizabeth never made demands!" he hissed at the witch.   
"... But you knew that I wanted to see her more than anything, even though I was growing hesitant by the letters. That's why you persisted and changed your form when I took the dagger." he and her were standing apart from each other, finally seeing face to face.

 _ ~~"That's right, I love it."~~_ she seemed to say, but her lips didn't move, her expression didn't change.

"You play jokes on me, just like Doctor. You know my suffering, know my weaknesses... And you both cling onto them, using them in your favor, again and again... I don't know what kind of messed up pleasure you both get out of these actions, but I will be the one to get the last laugh, when you both lie dead before me..." the patient hissed.

The witch only laughed, as if William was making a joke.

"Yes... Laugh all you wish, but know now... Your games will stop here and now. Your deception will go no further..." 

If close combat wouldn't work, then rendering her useless at a distance would, he strategized. When the witch tried to reclaim her hand after the brief conversation, William destroyed it, making it a bloody mess. He had done the same thing to her other hand, finally rendering her useless. After the long same-strategy combat, he could see she was just about finished. He just needed to stand his ground a bit more until she was finished. But, he wasn't sure when she was going to quit. He held up his gun and shot her her the chest twice. The second time seemed to have finally done it as the witch let out a dying screech. She finally fell, but her image flashed between Elizabeth and her own grotesque form. Finally, he heard Elizabeth's voice echo out, faintly and weakly.

_"William... My love..."_


End file.
